Costa Rican Culture

Eating & Drinking

“Delightfully austere and casually rich in content, Costa Rican food has a fresh feeling to it that will rejuvenate your senses unlike anything else.”

In the extremely plentiful, spicy, and complex food scene of Central America, Costa Rica somehow eludes from the picture with its mild cuisine. Dishes are mostly dependent on fresh vegetables and fruits, with rice and black beans as staple ingredients. In urban centers like San Jose, you will find playful international touches to the local cuisine in experimental restaurants. Peruvian, Italian, and Chinese influences are common and popular. Local ingredients like maize and corn are from the pre-colonization times, common in indigenous recipes. And Tamales, as in many other Latin American countries, are iconic festive food. While on the Caribbean Coast, Afro-Caribbean culinary traditions dominate the scene, with fish and pork accompanying the iconic rice and beans, especially during the holidays.

A typical dinner in Costa Rica consists of a combination of multiple local dishes served on one plate. Casado is a famous example, reflecting the generous nature of Costa Rican culture to the bone. Rice, beans, and meat on the one side, and salad, fried platano bananas, and tortilla on the other: the balance of tastes is the best part of the national dish of Costa Rica. As for breakfast, there is no dish more traditional than Gallo Pinto, blending Costa Rican and Nicaraguan tastes in a harmonious marriage. Arroz con Leche is the national dessert, made in the country for centuries. The lemon zest and cinnamon sticks are part of local variations.

Apart from the most common dishes, there are iconic elements that you will only find in Costa Rica. Ticos love their sauces. Salsa Lizano, a quintessential Costa Rican condiment, is almost a culinary symbol of Costa Rican culture. And there is the refreshing agua dulce, raw cane sugar juice coming from the higher elevations to the sun-kissed coast.

Religion & Etiquette

Roman Catholicism is the state religion in Costa Rica and the dominant religion in the society of the country. While almost 50% of the Catholic population identifies as devoted practitioners, the rest inherit the religion from family members and are not active in worship. Nevertheless, Catholicism is one of the major defining elements of Costa Rican culture. It has a place in most people’s lives through cultural elements like holidays and symbolism. And when it comes to the manifestation of religion in everyday life, Costa Ricans are quite demonstrative. Crosses, images of religious figures, and icons are everywhere from homes to the streets. Religious holidays like Holy Week, Christmas, and Saint’s Day dominate the yearly calendar.

In Costa Rican culture, kindness is very important and so is non-confrontation. Even the strongest feelings of discontent are expressed in a very gracious and orderly fashion. To blend in, it is best to avoid exaggerated expressions of discomfort in public. Gender equality is now prevalent in the formerly patriarchal society of Costa Rica, but issues regarding same-sex partnerships and public displays of affection are still common. Family is an important binding element for a stable and healthy society. Generations usually live in the same house and big families symbolize unity over individualism, while elders are treated with the utmost respect. Punctuality is not a big issue for Costa Ricans, as “la hora tica” or the Tico time defines the concept.